The World's Reaction
by Magiccatprincess
Summary: Ben and Rook getting together is causing a large media circus and not everyone is happy with Earth's Hero dating a male alien. Rated for violence and language.
1. Attacked

**Author: I came up with this after re-watching the episode in which Will Harungue was helping the Forever Knights. The media isn't fair to Ben, just like it would be in the real world, and I realized that because Ben's famous he would have to deal with lots of different reactions after he and Rook start dating. Not all of them positive...**

**Warning: This story deals with heavy subjects like homophobia and racism, if these subjects bother you it's best if you don't read this story or at least avoid the first chapter. There is a lot of violence and bad language in this chapter.**

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10.

Ch1. Attacked.

"_Stay tuned for more pictures of the new couple-"_

Click.

"It's outrageous! It's wrong and disgust"

Click.

"_It's no secret that Tennyson's bi, but this is way worse than dating a man! It's not even a man! It's an alie_-"

Click.

"_Is Earth's hero tired of the same old huma-_"

Click.

"_Ben's betraying the human race by-_"

This time Rook didn't bother changing the channel and just turned the tv off. He should have known better... The Revonnahgander cast a look around the HQ. The look in his feline-like eyes making it clear that he had plans for the first plumber who'd dare ask him to turn the tv back on.

A tense moment passed as all the other plumbers hurriedly went back to work.

Once that was done Rook's shoulders slumped and the angry look on his face was replaced by a worried one.

He and Ben had been together for almost a month and they had been so careful to not let the public know. At first Rook thought that Ben wanted to keep their relationship a secret because he was embarrassed or ashamed of them being together.

Rook now knew how wrong he'd been. If he'd got his hands on who ever leaked those photos...

Shaking his head, Rook made his way to where Ben was sitting on top of a desk. "I am so-"

"Ah aah." Ben silenced Rook by holding up a palm, not even looking up comic he was pretending to read. "I don't want to hear it."

Rook sat down on the chair in front of the desk, his eyes downcast. "But if you and I had not gotten together then-"

"Then the media would have made a big deal of whoever else I started dating. It's not you." Ben cut him off, his emerald eyes still on the comic he was pretending to read. He frowned. Why what language was this even... Oh.

Rolling his eyes at his own mistake Ben turned the comic book around. There. That should keep the facade up.

It was times like this that Ben didn't like being famous. They media took great pleasure in coming up with stories about him, and Ben didn't mind most of the time, he took great pleasure in being so famous, but it all got ten times worse when he was dating.

Rumors and lies were spread.

It happened with his first girlfriend Julie. And after that there was a whole media circus around him when he announced to the world that he was bisexual and the most ridiculous lies were spread when Ben got his first boyfriend Tom.

Rumors about Tom being a drug addict, an alcoholic and lies of Tom corrupting Ben. It had gotten so bad that Tom and his family had to move to another state to be free from the rumors.

Ben hadn't dated anyone for a while after that, not un till Esther. It had only been one date. A movie and they hadn't even bought pop corn, but hadn't _that_ been a news item.

The media had mixed reactions to that one.

On the positive side, Earth's hero went out with a girl. A princess even. On the other hand... It was an alien.

Naturally Ben's new relationship with Rook was causing quite some uproar. It had only gone public yesterday after someone send a _certain_ reporter pictures of the couple having a moment at Mr. Smoothies, in each other's arms sharing a deep kiss.

"But not like this." Rook pressed.

"But not like this." Ben agreed. "Some humans can't even stand other kinds of people, let alone aliens." He wasn't really seeing the pages of his comic. "Heck, on most parts on Earth people don't tolerate any other kind of sexuality than straight." He sadly shook his head. "Rook, it's..." Ben trailed off and it didn't look like he planned to continue talking at all.

Rook frowned. Ben had been unusually quiet all day. Acting withdrawn and even avoiding eye contact. Rook took a deep breath, trying to calm the uneasiness in his stomach.

It would make sense for Ben to end their relationship now. It would undoubtedly stop the media from spreading more lies. Ben's reputation would no longer be ruined and he and Ben would go back to being partners, good friends.

Could they even go back to being the way they were?

Being just partners?

He and Ben hadn't been dating for that long, both of them still unsure about their feelings, but Rook could not imagine going without those stolen kisses. Long nights spend drinking smoothies and talking, sometimes not talking at all. Just laying in each other's arms and enjoying each other's presence...

Rook did not want to lose that.

But if it meant that Ben would not have to deal with those disgusting lies then Rook would not fight.

"Ben? I would understand if you decide to end our relationship."

Ironically he spoke up on the same moment when Ben let the comic fall on his lap and finally looked at Rook as he continued speaking.

"It's okay if you don't want to go out with me anymore."

"What?" Again they spoke at the same time.

Rook held up his hand, silencing Ben before he could say something. "Why would I want to end our relationship?"

Ben shot his boyfriend an incredulous look. "Dude! You do not have to put up with being a called an 'it', just walk away from me and people will treat you like normal again."

"It does not matter what they think of me. It is you I am worried about. If you dated someone else-"

"But I only _like you_!" It was supposed to be a statement, but sounded more like a whine.

Rook couldn't stop a smile from forming on his face. That sounded much more like Ben. More so than he had all day. That soft smile still on his face Rook got up and moved to stand in front of Ben. Ben who looked at him from his spot on top of the desk, the teen's emerald eyes showing how nervous he truly was. "Then," Rook gently grabbed Ben's arm and pulled him from the desk. "why are we having this discussion?"

Ben allowed himself to be pulled close. "'Cause we're both idiots." Ben smirked, wrapping his arms around Rook's neck. He made humming like sound before kissing his boyfriend, it was a soft peck on the lips at first, but it grew into more and turned into something.

Kind of like their relationship...

"Alright you two, that's enough."

Dual sounds of disappointment followed immediately after Max's interruption and not even Rook managed to cover up his displeasure at being interrupted.

"Magister Tennyson." Rook straightened up.

Max smiled at the Revonnahgander. "At ease," he said crossing his arms. He looked at Ben who was now trying to hide behind his comic. "Nice try young man." He smirked when Ben gripped the comic and tried to inch behind his boyfriend. "Your mom, she's expecting you home for dinner."

"Aw man!"

**-Ben-10-Omniverse-**

Three hours later Ben was sipping a 'Peppered Cucumber, Pineapple smoothie' at Mr. Smoothies. He was also holding a more normal strawberry, cherry flavored smoothie to bring to Rook. His boyfriend was on monitor duty till late in the night, so if Rook couldn't go to Mr. Smoothies with Ben, Ben was going to bring Mr. Smoothies to Rook.

He was making his way across the parking lot when he felt someone tap his shoulder.

Turning around the hero was met with a fist to the face.

Stumbling Ben's hand automatically went for the omnitrix, he was about to press down and turn into Heatblast, when he saw who his attacker was.

It was a man, about his father's age, with dark hair. The man's face was twisted into a sneer.

"Hey!" Ben started messing with the omnitrix dial, the moment this lame guy realized who he was bugging then he'd run away and this whole thing would have just be a mild annoyance... And a bruised cheek as nice extra. "What the hell?!"

The man reply by roughly shoving Ben backwards, causing the teen to drop the smoothies.

Okay, maybe this wasn't the smartest burglar. Clearly Ben needed to give him a hint.

"Dude! Do you have any idea who I am? I'm Ben-"

"Yeah, we know who you are."

Ben blinked. It hadn't been the guy in front of him who answered. Slowly he glanced over his shoulder.

There were two other men standing behind him. Both middle-aged and looking... Well pretty ordinary. No signs of being controlled by an alien, brainwashed or a monster in disguise. Sure one of them was rather chubby looking, but that probably had more to do with drinking than aliens.

When Ben turned back there was another man standing beside the person who had first attacked him. This one was younger than the others and was wearing a short-sleeved white shirt.

"Okay..." So these man had waited for him here for a reason. Yeah, not good. Feeling like this situation would be far better as Big Chill, Ben reached for the Omnitrix again.

His wrist was grabbed by youngest of the four men surrounding him, before he even touched the dial.

"Hey!" Ben protested trying to pull away from the man's grip, but it was too tight. "What's the deal?! Let me go!"

The uneasy feeling in his stomach got worse when the two men from behind him started to come closer.

"Ben Tennyson," One of them said. He had curly black hair and blue eyes. If it weren't for the hatred in his eyes he would have looked like a decent guy. "Earth's _hero_." The way he said the word showed that the guy did not agree with the title. The mocking way it was said followed by the right corner of his lips twitching upwards made that pretty clear.

The shorter, chubby one of the four men scoffed. "More like earth's fag."

Ben's eyes widened at the word. "What?"

"It's more than that though," The first guy said leaning down to meet Ben's eyes, that angry sneer still on his face. "the boy's dating aliens. Like humans ain't good enough for 'im."

Ben didn't get a chance to try defending himself, not when the man suddenly delivered a hard punch to Ben's stomach.

Gasping for breath Ben fell to the ground, an arm wrapping around his stomach.

"Not so high and mighty now, are ya?"

A kick was delivered to his side. Ben didn't even see which of the four men did it.

Whimpering the teenager tried to get up, getting to his hands and knees.

This was what his attackers had been waiting for.

The chubby man stomped on Ben's hand, pressing it into the asphalt and crushing the boy's bones under his massive weight.

Ben cried out, desperately trying to pull his hand away.

His four attackers actually laughed at the teen's cry. "Not liking it when its normal folks that make ya scream, do ya?" One of them taunted delivering another kick to Ben's side.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" One of them challenged.

And Ben Tennyson never backed down from a challenge.

Forcing himself to look up, Ben met the older man's steel grey eyes. "What can I say guys," he tried lifting his hand and barely managed to suppress a whimper. Yeah, that guy had definitely broken something there.

Ben licked his lips and smirked up his attacker, showing off blood covered teeth. If these crazies thought that they had a say in who he should and shouldn't love than they were even crazier than Ben thought. "I like the best of _all_ worlds."

All those words got him was a fist to the face with a force so hard Ben's vision instantly blurred.

Another kick to his stomach was delivered. Another one, again, and again and again.

Soon all four of them were of them were attacking Ben. Taunting and laughing as they delivered punches, and kicks to the 16-year-old boy.

Ben could do nothing but curl up on the ground and endure the beating. He should try and reach for his omnitrix again. He knew he should.

He should turn into an alien and fight back against these- these-

These civilians.

The people he protected...

The people he saved at least a million times...

"_You're disgusting_!"

One of them was stomping on his leg...

"_Nothing but a freak of nature who can only get other freaks to love him_!"

Another kick too his stomach leaving the sixteen-year-old desperately gasping for breath.

"_-think you're too good for humans!_"

A kick to the back of his head.

White dots danced across his vision and it took too long for it to clear again.

"_We'll give ya what ya deserve! Smack some normality in ya._"

A fist slammed against his chest.

_cr-ack_!

Ben threw his head back and screamed.

The beating continued on for a good thirty minutes, but to Ben it felt like years. Throughout it all he lay curled up on the ground, his eyes clenched shut and tears running down his bruised cheeks.

Although the beating stopped the four men hadn't left yet. They stood over their victim, quietly talking to each other. Ben could occasional hear the words 'pathetic' and 'worthless' but he didn't have the energy to try and listening in to what they were talking about.

He had a pretty good idea what they were talking about anyway...

Ben closed his eyes, willing to let the darkness that was slowly closing in from the edges of his vision, claim him. He was almost lost to the sweet nothingness when something cold and sweet-smelling was thrown over him.

Ben whimpered as he instantly started shivering.

Turns out that there had still a bit of smoothie in the cups...

Well not anymore.

The cold pink liquid had unceremoniously been dumped over the beaten boy's head.

Ben gasped and sputtered. The smoothie was still cold making it feel like hundreds of tiny needles were stabbing at his bruised cheeks.

The men laughed. Not even typical evil laughter, Ben was familiar with that kind of laughter, but real 'ha ha something is funny' laughter. Those four men found real humor in beating him up.

At this realization Ben went limp. He forced himself to stop heaving, stop trembling and closed his eyes.

Not long after that the four men stopped laughing, it came to an abrupt halt and Ben didn't bother listening to them start to panic. Cursing at each other and fearing being put in jail...

It didn't take long till they ran for it.

Ben stayed absolutely still long after his attackers' footsteps could no longer be heard.

For fifteen minutes he just lay there, curled up on the ground. Bruised, bloodied, cold and alone.

When he finally forced his emerald eyes open Ben gazed at black sky. It was too cloudy for any stars to be seen.

No one would find him if he stayed here, Ben realized. Who besides him and Rook went out for smoothies at this hour? And if those men came back...

Letting out a sob that the young here could no longer keep in, Ben tried to sit up. He screamed bloody murder and fell back down, breathing hard and shallow.

"Oh god." Ben gasped out in pain, his voice and small.

Oh god it hurt. It hurt so bad. His whole body felt so heavy and...

Furiously blinking back tears Ben rolled onto his stomach. Letting out an occasional whimper Ben pushed himself for more. He managed to get to his hands and knees and started to crawl.

He crawled to the Ten Speed, where he let himself collapse. His whole body shook with pain as he tried to sit up and slowly lifting his arm. He pressed one button on the Omnitrix and let his limbs slump.

There was static for only a moment then-

"Ben, I have told you before that you should not call me while I'm on monitor duty."

Ben nearly sobbed relief. God Rook's voice was the best sound in the world right now. "...Hi." Ben's voice was hoarse and small. For a moment Ben feared his boyfriend wouldn't even hear him.

When Rook spoke again it was a far cry from his previous tone. "Ben?" Worry and fear danced together in his tone. "Ben? Are you alright?"

Ben didn't answer, his bleeding lips twisted into a small smile as Ben gazed forward, not seeing anything other than the blackness slowly closing in on him.

"Ben? Answer me! _Please_!"

"I..." Ben blinked, it took a while for his eyes to open again. "I need you Rook." He whispered.

And his eyes slid shut.


	2. Finding You

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10.

Ch2: Finding You.

"_I need you Rook..._"

Followed by static.

Rook gripped his communicator. "Ben?" The cold feeling that had been building in his stomach from the moment he heard Ben's voice through the communicator growing worse by the second. "Ben answer me!"

Still no answer. Only static.

This wasn't right. The way Ben had sounded... So hurt, scared and- and all things that Ben Tennyson always avoided to appear.

Ben would go in great lengths to hide being hurt, scared or upset.

The way he sounded over his communicator...

Shaking his head Rook turned around and quickly began making his way to the door only to be stopped by large hand landing on his shoulder. "Magister Tennyson, I must go after-"

The look on Max's face stopped him from protesting further.

Max too had heard Ben's voice coming through Rook's communicator and how wrong it sounded. "It's no use scouting out the whole galaxy Rook." Leaving the monitor room, Max headed to one of the main decks and went to check-in desk. Rook only a step behind him.

"Deputy M'ahn," Max addressed the humanoid, dessert lizard-like alien at the desk. "I need you to trace the signal of Ben's Plumber badge. Pronto."

Abandoning his current task M'ahn adjusted his turban before starting to type in an impressive speed. "Found him." M'ahn said in that deep voice of his, as he gazed at the blinking green dot on the screen.

Rook leaned over the desfibian's shoulder to get a better look. One glance at the dot was enough for the Revonnahgander to determine his boyfriend's location. "He is at the parking lot at Mr. Smoothies."

"At this hour?" Max's frown deepened.

For a moment Rook thought Ben might be tricking him to come Mr. Smoothies so they could spend time together, but then Ben's voice sounded through his head and he recalled the tired, shaking voice that belonged to his boyfriend.

Eyes narrowing in determination Rook turned around and quickly left the room. He went to the parking deck and got inside the proto-truck. He didn't spare Max a glance when the older man got in the passenger seat.

Rook broke several traffic laws but it was worth is, because it got him and Max at Mr. Smoothies in record time. He and Max were quick to get out of the proto-truck.

"Ben!" Max called out, with a growing sense of dread. "Ben, are you here?!"

Something was seriously wrong.

The streets were too quiet. Yes it was after midnight, but there weren't even any party goers out. No people walking their dogs or late night joggers. No one.

The proto-truck was the only vehicle on the parking lot, well the proto-truck and _one_ other vehicle.

"The Ten Speed!" Rook was running towards the bike before the words even left his mouth. He rushed to the other side of the Ten Speed and- And froze.

Max saw Rook tense up and the feeling of dread grew. "Rook?" He called out. The Revonnahgander stood completely still, tensed up and his short fur stood on edge. Max couldn't see Rook's eyes, but he was sure that they had to be wide. "Rook!"

Max's shout seemed to snap Rook out of his daze.

Rook slowly shook his head in disbelief. "_No_" he breathed out before dropping to his knees and disappearing from Max's line of view.

His dread growing by the second Max started making his way across the parking lot and towards Ben's motor bike. Despite how fit he was for his age, he didn't make it there in the same speed as Rook had.

The sight that greeted him drove all thoughts from his mind and for exactly five seconds Max Tennyson stood completely still, his eyes never straying from the unconscious person in Rook's arms. A bruised and bloody mess.

That bruised and bloody mess was his grandson!

"Ben!"

Ben's head was cradled on Rook's lap. Dark bruises around both his eyes, a deep bleeding cut on his left temple, Ben had swollen discolored cheeks and a split lip, which was probably where all the blood on the boy's chin came from - No some of the blood was coming _out_ of Ben's mouth.

As his eyes lowered Max spotted bruise after bruise and they kept getting worse. From the way his right leg was bent it was clear that it was broken. The same went for his wrist, but Max could conclude that thanks to the pointy blood covered bone breaking through the pale skin.

But the worst of all Ben's injuries had to be the boy's chest. The right side of Ben's chest looked oddly... dent.

Now, Max had seen people with broken ribs before, but this... This was way worse than just broken and could only mean serious internal damage.

"Oh kiddo..." Max kneeled down on Ben's other side, two shaking fingers going for Ben's neck.

"He has a heartbeat." Rook quickly informed the older man, his voice soft and shaking. His wide cat-like eyes never left Ben's bruised face as he his shaking hands through his boyfriend's hair. It was wet and sticky, just like the rest of Ben's head.

There were two empty smoothie cups on the ground just a feet away.

It did not take much thinking to figure out what the cold wetness on Ben was supposed to be.

And knowing that someone had dumped ice-cold beverage over Ben after hurting him only made it harder for Rook to fight of his primal urges.

Urges to find whoever hurt Ben and make them pay. Urges to take Ben away somewhere safe where he wouldn't be hurt. Those urges were pretty useless right now. He needed to stay with Ben. Ben who was hurt and there was nothing he could nothing he could do about it!

Ben whose heart was beating too fast, whose breathing was shallow, irregular and uneven. The rise and fall of Ben's chest looked like some sort of jerking movement and a wet rattling sound came from Ben's chest with every breath.

And it just wasn't good...

"Smarahd..." Rook's hand shook as he gently brushed Ben's bangs from his forehead. "Hang on... It will be alright." Rook was not sure who he was trying to assure. Ben who was unconscious and likely in serious pain or himself.

He could faintly hear magister Tennyson calling for an ambulance, but couldn't hear much past the blood rushing through his ears and loud pounding of his own heat as he gazed at Ben who looked so small, so fragile and-

And so broken...

"It will be alri-" Rook took a deep shuddering breath that did nothing to soothe the panic slowly bubbling up in his stomach. "You will be fine... Aril sé abane. Arilia, Ben."

_Please be alright. _Please_ Ben_.

**-Ben-10-Omnivere-**

Four hours later Rook was still in the waiting room at the hospital waiting for news. Ben's parents had been alerted of the situation and had rushed to the hospital. Carl and Sandra Tennyson were now outside because Sandra needed fresh air to calm her fried nerves.

Max was outside as well, but that we because he was still trying to contact Gwen and Kevin who still had no idea of Ben's condition. Max felt that they had the right to know.

Not that Rook, Ben's parents or Max had any idea how Ben was doing. The moment Ben was brought in the teen was wheeled to an operating room for emergency surgery. They hadn't heard anything since then.

Rook was sitting on one of the uncomfortable plastic chairs in the waiting room, his arms falling uselessly between his knees and his head lowered. He looked up when a pair of recently polished brown shoes entered his line of sight.

He was instantly on his feet when he recognized the blond-haired, man as one of doctors who had taken Ben into surgery.

"Do you have any news on Ben's condition?"

The doctor looked Rook over and judging by the way he brow furrowed -accentuating the frown wrinkles around his steel-blue eyes- he did not like what he saw. "You're here for Ben Tennyson."

Rook wasn't sure if that was supposed be a question or a statement, but he did not like the man's tone. "Yes." Rook said as calmly as he could manage, his own eyes narrowing at the skinny man who appeared to be in his fifties. "Can you please inform me on his condition."

The doctor looked at Rook his face twisted in a disgusted sneer. "You shouldn't be _here_." He didn't just mean the hospital.

"Yes, he should."

Both the old doctor and Rook turned around to see Max, Sandra and Carl Tennyson walking towards them. Sandra was the one who'd spoken in Rook's defense.

"Rook cares deeply for my son and he has the right to be here." Sandra informed the doctor, glaring at him from her place in her husband's arms. She took a deep breath trying to calm down. She couldn't lose her temper here. Not when here baby was hurt.

Doctor Michaels looked at the blonde women, a bewildered look on his face. "And you approve that- that it-"

"Hold it there sir," Max stepped in before Michaels could finish his sentence. "over the past year this young man," he put a hand on Rook's shoulder and squeezed it gently.

Rook stared at Max in surprise. "Magister Tennyson?"

"He helped save our planet multiple times," Max continued. "meaning he saved your life as well, so I'd be a little more respectful if I were you."

Doctor Micheals obviously wasn't used to being called out on his actions. That had to be the reason why he thought it was a good idea to cross his arms and look at the four people in front of him in disgust. "And if I don't?"

Carl sighed, using his free hand -the one not wrapped around his wife to comfort her and stop her from outright attacking the older doctor- to palm his forehead. "Sir, we're already going to request for you to be kept away from Ben from now on, there enough open-minded doctors who want to treat someone as famous as him. Don't make us press charges against you too."

Taken aback by the threat Michaels stared at the four individuals, mouth agape.

"Tell us about Ben's condition!" Sandra demanded.

"Er.. right." Micheals nodded stiffly as he focused his full attention on the clipboard he had brought with him so he didn't have to face the four deathly glares being send his way. "Ben Tennyson has three broken ribs, one which perforated a lung which collapsed because of that and was the cause of internal bleeding. It's also the cause of his breathing problems which is why we're keeping him on artificial air for now. He had a ripped appendix which we already treated." He briefly looked up from his reading to see the horror on the faces of Ben's loved ones.

"We have stitched up the cuts on his torso. It took a while to clean out the wound on his let side, but we believe he is out of danger of an infection. He'll need surgery to fix his hand and wrist. It's already scheduled for in a few hours. We've already done our work on his fractured collarbone." Micheals took a deep breath before continuing the long list of injures.

The Tennyson boy sure had been a mess when he had been brought in... "He has a mild concussion and his left leg is broken in four different places and will be reset in a few hours once the anesthesia of his last surgery has worn of and he can get a fresh dose."

That had been a whole lot of information, but Max noticed that the doctor hadn't given the most vital piece of info yet. "Will he be alright?"

The frown finally left from doctor Michaels' face and made room for sympathy, he had dealt with families coming close to losing their loved ones. "He's still critical." Michaels answered solemnly. "But he makes it through the next 12 hours he has strong fighting chance."

Rook let out a long hitching breath of which he hadn't been aware that he was holding. Twelve hours... or. He shook his head. "Ben is strong, he will make it through this."

"Yeah," Sandra nodded, a small sad smile on her pale face. "Ben's strong, stronger than most people give him credit for." Which was saying something all things considered...

Carl nodded, his attention still on the doctor. He wouldn't forget to report the man for his attitude towards Rook. "Can we see him?"

...And the frown returned on dr. Michaels face and his gaze shifted back to Rook who was looking helpless and worried.

It didn't matter what he said, Michaels realized. He had a feeling that it -the alien- would go see Tennyson and be with him no matter what he said.

Sighing in defeat he nodded. "He's on the fifth floor, room 510-J. Just be careful and don't mess with the equipment."

None of them said anything as they all turned away from xenophobic doctor, Rook leading the way.

Max stayed behind for a moment longer. His eyes locking with dr. Michaels' blue ones. Max nodded at him before turning around and following his family to the elevators.

Doctor Michaels wasn't sure if that nod had been to thank him or because he had refrained from insulting the alien further, or if that look had been there as a warning.

Either way Michaels had a feeling that he wouldn't be allowed near the famous teen again.

It didn't matter, not to him.

He'd still have an interesting story to tell his wife later.


	3. Bruised and Unmoving

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10.

Ch3: Bruised and Unmoving

Rook took a deep breath before following Sandra and Carl into the hospital room. That was not enough to prepare him for the sight that greeted him.

Ben was on the bed and he looked so- so-

"Brallada Ben..." Rook slowly shook his head as if trying to deny what was right in front of him.

Humans were not supposed to be so _pale_.

Even under the thin blanket Rook could see how heavily bandaged up Ben's torso was. There wires and tubes all over Ben connecting him to different kinds of machines.

The oxygen mask on Ben's face only added to distressing image. And Ben wasn't even finished yet. He still needed to go through another surgery, he would need a cast and his wrist would get bandaged after the bones were set.

Sandra crying silently, tightly gripping her son's limp cold hand. Carl once again had his arms around her, but his dark eyes were focussed on his unconscious son.

Carl disagreed with many of his son's decisions. He hadn't been happy when he discovered his son was constantly risking his life, but learned that there was nothing he could do about it. Ben would go out and use the Omnitrix to help others and fight evil aliens despite what his parents wanted for him.

There was no stopping it so Carl and Sandra did their best to support Ben. Besides if they stopped Ben than it would end with people getting hurt or dying.

So he and Sandra did their best to be supporting, no matter how terrifying it was every time their teenage son left the house to go to Plumber HQ.

They had both been shocked when Ben's secret had been revealed to the world and they couldn't do much to help when the world began treating their son like a celebrity. When they all acted like Ben belonged to the world and that Ben didn't really need to be thanked for what he did because was Earth's Hero now. Why thank someone for doing what they were _supposed_ to do?

Carl hated them. Those vultures of the media and he hated them even more when Ben started adjusting himself to their ridiculous standards.

He should have stepped in then and put an end to the whole media circus.

And now the media was interfering with his son's love life. It was all over the news. Sure Ben was dating a male alien, but Rook was a nice guy. Sure as hell better than some of the scum on Earth.

Looking down at Ben, lying there battered and bruised in a hospital bed Carl somehow knew that it hadn't been aliens who did this to his son.

He should have stepped in sooner.

'_I'm so sorry ben..._' Carl wasn't able voice that thought over the lump in his throat.

Rook was still standing in doorway. His eyes on his unconscious boyfriend, every bruise and cut that he saw pulling him deeper and deeper in that ocean of despair that he was slowly becoming familiar with.

He only snapped out of his daze when a large hand landed on his shoulder. Surprised by the sudden touch Rook glanced to his left and saw Max.

"It'll be alright Rook." Max tried to assure the Revonnahgander. "Ben's too stubborn to let this keep him down."

Rook smiled softly at that. "He is indeed." Nodding in agreement -or false hope... Rook walked over to the other side of Ben's bed. Taking Ben's hand in his own Rook gave it a gentle squeeze before gently lifting the hand to his mouth and kissing the knuckles. '_Please be stubborn now too Ben_' Rook silently pleaded. '_We have only just become a couple and I cannot-_' Rook closed his eyes and took a deep shuddering breath._ 'I need you.'_

**-Ben-10-Omniverse-**

An hour later Ben was being wheeled to his next surgery and the hospital staff ordered the group of four back into the waiting room. Not a full minute later Gwen and Kevin arrived at the hospital, both of them looking like they had gotten there in a rush.

They most have both been sleeping when Max called. At least that's what Rook concluded from his slumped position in one of the plain white waiting chairs. He should greet them, Rook knew he should, but he simply did not have the energy to do so.

Gwen immediately went to her obviously shaken up grandfather. "How is he?"

"He," Max sighed sadly as he returned Gwen's hug just as tight- no, even tighter than the young hybrid was able of. "He has a fighting chance."

Rook stopped paying attention to them after that, his gaze shifting to the ground. How had things gone so horribly wrong in such little time? Had he not just spoken to Ben this- Yesterday afternoon?

Had things not been alright only a few hours ago?

He looked up when Kevin suddenly forced himself into Rook's line of vision. "You alright there?"

Rook hadn't expected to be asked that. 'Was he okay?' "I..." Rook shook his head. "No, I am not." And he was positive that he would not be alright un till Ben was awake and well again.

Kevin nodded in understanding. "Whoever did this is gonna pay." The Osmosian swore, his fists clenched at his sides.

"And I'm going to find out exactly who." Max said pulling away from Gwen's hug.

"Grandpa?"

"There are security cameras at the parking lot where we found Ben." Max clarified. "Whoever did this to Ben has to be caught on camera."

"Alright." Kevin nodded not quite energized but that news did something to him. "Then let's do it and teach those guys a lesson they wont forget for a long time."

Sandra looked at her father-in-law with, her bloodshot eyes showing her concern. "Max?" Her voice was hoarse. She hadn't spoken since she saw Ben in that hospital bed.

"It's alright." Max assured. "Ben's gonna be in surgery for another few hours and the sooner we get whoever did this behind bars the better." He glanced at Rook who appeared to be in deep thought. "What do you say Rook? Field work might be a welcome distraction." Max seriously doubted it, but he was willing to give it a try for himself.

Rook stared at Max for a long while as he considered the offer. "I too think that it is important that the people responsible for putting Ben in the state he is deserve to be... _punished_. But I feel that I should stay here."

"I understand." Max nodded, a small understanding smile on his haggard face.

**-Ben-10-Omniverse-**

Small, hurt, vulnerable and fragile.

Her cousin hated appearing to be any of the above, but that's exactly how he looked like right now. Gwen hugged herself as she continued pacing. The had been allowed into the hospital room fifteen minutes ago after Ben's two-hour long surgery was finally finished.

Carl and Sandra were sitting on Ben's left and Rook on Ben's right side, all of them in the uncomfortable plastic chairs.

Gwen had only taken one look at her cousin and started pacing.

"This is so wrong." Gwen muttered having to clench her fists to prevent herself from releasing some mana. Sometimes it was hard having emotion based powers.

No one had a reply to her, simply because it was true. It was so wrong to see someone as energetic as Ben laying there unmoving and covered with cuts, bruises, scrapes and bandages.

But before anyone could tell her that they agreed the door swung open and Max and Kevin walked in, both clearly upset.

"Damn police." Kevin muttered only just stopping himself from kicking the trash bin. It was then that he saw state of the person in the bed and he stilled. For a moment Kevin stared at his unconscious best friend, arms dangling uselessly at his sides.

After a tense moment in which no one spoke Kevin balled his fists, nails digging into his palms and he quickly spun around and stomped out of the room with a muttered "'scuse me". He needed to release his anger before he did something stupid.

Carl watched him go. Once Kevin was gone and the door closed he turned to his father. "Police."

Max nodded. "The police was already there when Kevin and I arrived. Apparently someone called them saying they heard disturbing noises from the parking lot last night."

"There was a witness?" Rook questioned his ire rising when he realized who ever this person was must have been aware of the attack on Ben and hadn't done anything other than go to bed and call the police the following morning.

"Yeah," Max rubbed his temple. "I wasn't allowed to see the security footage because it were humans that did this to Ben making it a case for the Bellwood BD, not the Plumbers."

"Did you at least learn something?" Gwen pressed not liking the fact that there would be nothing they could to help the police.

Max nodded grimly. "Only that the police suspect that this was a hate-crime."

"A hate-crime." Rook echoed listlessly. If possible he slumped even further downwards. Magister Tennyson's confirming one of his worries. "So this _is_ my fault."

"No it's not!" Gwen protested. "If you want someone to blame then blame those narrow-minded idiotic bastard-" Shaking in anger and worry for her cousin Gwen's hands went to her mouth to try and muffle her sobs as silent tears started to roll down her cheeks.

Max immediately stepped in and pulled his granddaughter close.

Rook watched them for a moment before his gaze went back to Ben's battered face. '_But it is my fault._' The Revonnahgander thought, gently gripping his boyfriend's limp hand. '_If we had not gotten together than this never would have happened and- and I would not be at risk of losing you...' _Rook clenched his eyes shut. '_I am sorry... I am so sorry._'


	4. Worldwide News

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10.

Ch4: Worldwide News.

_Like usual after a successful mission Ben and Rook had gone to Mr. Smoothies to celebrate their victory. Everything was great un till Ben's cell phone made a beeping sound._

_Rook watched as Ben grabbed his cellphone and read his message. He watched Ben's expression change and for some reason the Revonnahgander felt cold. "Ben?"_

_Ben's expression was sad as he put the cell phone on the table, his gaze downwards. It felt like ages un till he finally looked up again. "I gotta go now Rook." Meeting Rook's gaze and- oh there was so much pain in those beautiful emerald eyes. Ben's eyes should never be like that._

_All Rook wanted to was pull Ben into his arms and stop that pain from being there, but Rook suddenly realized that he could not move or speak._

_And Ben was already getting up._

_Rook couldn't even ask why Ben had to leave after they were having such a great time?_

_Then Ben was walking towards the parking lot and Rook felt his heartbeat falter. No. Ben shouldn't go there! Darkness and pain was there and Ben shouldn't go there!_

_The darkness was closing in on Ben and there was nothing could do but watch. He couldn't prevent it!_

_Just watched as darkness claimed the one he lov-_

"No!"

Rook jerked awake nearly falling out of the plastic chair he found himself in. Disoriented and more than a little frightened Rook looked around, his shoulders slumping when he recalled where he was.

He was still in Ben's hospital room. It was dark and Ben's parents were both asleep in their own chairs a couple of feet away. Gwen and Kevin had left with Max to spend the night at his place, they'd be back first thing the next morning.

Needing to be close to Ben after his disturbing dream Rook got up and walked over to Ben's bedside.

Once there, looking at Ben's face, he swallowed. Rook did not have the luxury of being able to pretend that his boyfriend was simply asleep. Not with all those wires and tubes surrounding Ben. Not with the oxygen mask on Ben's bruised face and not when Ben's expression was so far from peaceful.

Despite the heavy medication he was on Ben's face was twisted into a subtle grimace, even while still unconscious.

And the bruises...

Rook squeezed his eyes shut. Ben would not want him to cry... But it was hard. This was not something Rook knew how to handle. He'd never come this close to losing someone he lov- he cared for so much.

And this was all his fault too...

If he and Ben had not gotten together then Ben would not have gotten attacked and-

Despite his efforts a few tears still escaped him and slid down his furry cheeks. Really the only thing that could make him feel better would if those beautiful emerald eyes opened. All would be right in the world again.

Rook's hand shook when he gently cupped Ben's bruised cheek as he carefully ran his fingers through Ben's bangs. He frowned. "You are cold." He stated well aware that he would not receive a reply.

Automatically his mind flashed back to when they found Ben. Battered, bloody and... with his head wet from the smoothies his attackers had thrown over him.

"No wonder you are so cold..."

No matter how much he tried Rook could not get the image of Ben, unconscious, battered and bleeding, on the parking lot of mr. Smoothies out of his head. The image would forever be imprinted in his mind.

The more Rook thought about it, the colder he got. He focused on Ben's face again and smiled sadly. "Perhaps we can keep each other warm." The Revonnahgander quietly suggested before laying down besides Ben. Careful to not disturb Ben's injuries, Rook wrapped his arms around Ben and pulled him as close as he was able to without messing with the tubes and wires attached to his boyfriend.

Resting his chin on top of Ben's head Rook's eyes once again filled with tears, this time he did not bother trying to hide them. "I am sorry, Ben." Rook whispered, his tears disappearing in Ben's brown hair. "I am so _so _sorry. Please come back."

**Ben-10-Omniverse. **

It was three days later and not much had changed. Ben no longer needed the oxygen mask, now able to breath on his own again and swelling on his face had lessened a whole lot.

And Ben still hadn't woken up.

He had groaned and whimpered a few times but that was all.

Max, Carl, Gwen and Kevin spend most of their time at the police station or at Mr. Smoothie parking lot trying to find whoever did this to Ben, but had nothing to go one seeing the police would not allow them to interfere with the police investigation so their little team had nothing to go on.

While they did that Rook and Sandra spend every moment with Ben, neither of them willing to leave Ben alone for long. Sandra didn't want to be away from her son while he was in this condition and Rook...

Rook was conflicted.

As much as he wanted to go out and find the people responsible for putting Ben in this condition and use them for target practice, he could note bare being away from Ben for long, not with the image of Ben bruised, bloody and unconscious recurring to him every time he closed his eyes.

He needed something to fight off that image.

He needed to see a heathy Ben Tennyson. Breathing, whole and _safe_.

Rook needed to be there when Ben woke up.

Currently Rook and Sandra were in their usual positions, meaning that Sandra sat on the chair on Ben's left and Rook on the chair on Ben's right. Sumo Slammers was playing on the small television, Ben hadn't even stirred when the episode began.

And that's what bothered Sandra the most.

"He's been a fan of this ridiculous violent show for over six years!" The woman suddenly exclaimed jumping to her feet. "He should be rooting for that Hiro guy or yelling at Hiyazaki! He should- he-he-" She faltered her ire disappearing and her eyes welling up with tears once more.

"He should not be like this." Rook solemnly agreed when Sandra sat back down again.

Sandra looked at him, but the Revonnahgander was already gazing at the unconscious teenager again. His expression sad but also so very tender. "Rook?"

"Yes, Mrs. Tennyson?" Etiquette required him to turn and look at the person he was talking to, but Rook couldn't bring himself to look at her. After all was he not -indirectly- also to blame for her sadness?

"I still need to thank you."

_That_ got Rook to turn his head a face her. He waited for to elaborate, because surely this must be some form of sarcasm or a unusual Earth expression because Rook did not see _how_ Sandra could possibly thanking him now. "With all due respect mrs. Tennyson-"

"Sandra." She'd been correcting him about that for ages, but the Revonnahgander was just too polite to start calling her by her first name.

"Sandra." Rook repeated a ghost of a smile passing over his face. "I do not understand why you would thank me, giving the situation."

Sandra's eyes went back to her son and she smiled sadly. "Ben has two types of happiness." She quietly told Rook. "There's the 'look at me I'm a famous hero' happiness." The blond woman snorted. "Carl and I had to deal with that kind of attitude a lot during the weeks leading up to Gwen leaving for college." She paused to gather her thoughts.

"And then there's the honest happiness." Sandra continued fondly, finally looking at Rook again. "There aren't many people who bring out that real happiness from my son, Rook." She told the Revonnahgander.

"But I've seen him truly happy with you and... Ben needs someone like that. Someone who can deal with his arrogant hero persona and deal with... Well Ben." Sandra smiled at him and Rook's eyes widened when he realized how much Ben took after his mom, because he _knew_ that smile. "So I'm glad you and Ben got together."

For two full minutes Rook stared at her, stunned speechless by her words. "I..."

"It's okay Rook." Sandra assured.

"Thank you, Mrs- Sandra." Rook said managing his first smile in days.

They stayed in companionable silence for next fifteen minutes. When the Sumo Slammers episode ended Sandra reached for the remote. "Maybe I should put it on that music channel Ben sometimes watches." The woman wondered as she started going through the channels.

One of the channels was playing Will Harangue's show.

"What is he complaining about this time?" She muttered glaring at the famous man on the small television screen. She was about to change the channel again when she saw the words at the bottom of the screen.

'Hero lets himself be beaten?'

_No_. Sandra shook her head in disbelief. The media couldn't already know about this. Not yet. How could they even know?

Rook looked up when Sandra didn't change the channel. The last person he wanted to see let alone hear was Will Harangue and Rook thought Sandra would have similar thoughts on the matter. It was then that he actually listened to what the reporter was saying.

"_Yes I admit that Tennyson has helped out our planet once or twice, but to call him our hero is an insult to true heroes like Billy Billions and Captain Nemesis. Don't believe me?" Will leaned over his desk to get closer to the camera. "Well you will after watching this footage that was send to me this morning."_

Rook and Sandra both expected Harangue to show a video of Ben crashing into a car or destroying a building while fighting against one of his enemies.

Neither of them was prepared for the gritty, black and white video that took over the whole screen.

**-Ben-10-Omniverse-**

Elsewhere Mrs. Jones quickly turned the TV off, only seconds after the soundless footage started playing.

"M-ooom!" Jimmy Jones complained. He'd only gotten a glimpse of something black and white before his mom turned tv off. How was he supposed defend Ben on his blog if he didn't see what fake evidence Harangue had made up? "I was watching that!"

"Go to your room Jimmy." His mother said, her tone harsh but also shaken. "I don't want you watching that."

Jimmy wanted to protest further, but something about his mother's tone made him pause. "Mom?" He tilted his head, trying to get a glimpse of her, his eyes widening when he saw the raw anger on his mother's face. "Mom, what is it?"

Not saying a word Mrs. Jones walked over to her son and pulled him into a hug.

**-Ben-10-Omniverse-**

Glad to take a break after her long tennis match, Julie Yamamoto sank down on the wooden bench in the locker room and reached for her water bottle. Only after drinking some of it did she notice the three other girls in the room staring at the television screen attached to the stone wall.

The Japanese girl usually avoided watching that tv seeing the television in the locker room was always on one particular show, but she wanted to know what held the others so captivated so she looked up.

Once she got sight of what was happening on-screen her eyes widened. Julie didn't even notice when her water bottle fell from her hands.

**-Ben-10-Omniverse-**

Three sharp quills shattered the small old-fashioned television before the footage was even finished.

Argit stood a few feet away from where his tv had once stood, his whole body rigid after the sudden burst of anger that had clouded his control after witnessing that video. "That's..." Argit's shoulders slumped. "That's so typical of the world."

**-Ben-10-Omniverse-**

After hours of work the odd team of four still had nothing to go on, which eventually made Max decide that they should head back to Plumber HQ. Once they got there they found the place a mess. People were moving around frantically all appearing to be furious.

"What going on he-" Gwen didn't get to finish her question. Suddenly Helen, a human/Kineceleran hybrid had both Gwen's hands clasped in her own blue ones.

"Gwen, I am so sorry for what happened." Helen told Gwen, she sounded like she'd been crying. "What's his condition?"

Manny, Helen's partner walked up to them, all four of his fists clenched tightly in anger and his red body was stiff. "Did you guys get those four assholes?" The Tetramand demanded.

Carl had no idea who all those people were and was about to demand an explanation when he felt someone tug on his pants. Looking down he saw two aliens who he recognized.

"Is Ben alright?" Bluckic asked.

"Of course he isn't." Driba argued crossing his arms.

"But he might be."

"But he isn't!"

As the two Galvans argued Max walked over to Magister Patelliday, the only person he told about what happened to Ben and thus the only person who could have told all these plumbers about what happened. "Patelliday, I told you about the attack in confidence. How could you-"

"It wasn't me Maxi." Patelliday said holding his hands up as if saying 'I surrender'.

"Then who was it?" Kevin demanded glaring at the fish-like alien.

A forlorn expression of his face, Patelliday wordlessly pointed to the television screen hanging on the wall near the door.

Frowning Max looked at tv, his eyes widened when he saw black and white scene playing on it. Ben was on tv but...

_Ben was curled up on the ground, surrounded by four adult men whose faces were blurred out, each of them kicking, punching and stomping the already unmoving teenager._

**-Ben-10-Omniverse-**

"_This boy is supposed to keep Earth safe, but can't even defend himself against his own kind." Will Harangue said once the video of Ben being attacked was over. "If this is our last defense against alien scum, then I'm not feeling very safe. What you people of Earth?"_

Sandra's hands shook so much that the remote slipped out of her grip and landed on the ground with a dull thud. Fat tears rolled down her cheeks and her shoulders trembled with sobs she was trying to suppress. "They- Their faces are blurred out." She choked out.

There were so many things wrong about the footage Will had so casually shown to the world, but that struck her as the worst part of the whole video.

The faces of Ben's attackers were blurred out to protect _their _privacy, to not ruin _their_ lives, and yet Ben's face had been in full display. The media didn't care about Ben, about his privacy or even if Ben would be alright.

'_Those rotten as-_' A low growl coming from her right interrupted Sandra's angry thoughts. Quickly turning her head in the direction of the sound, Sandra's eyes widened when she saw the state Rook was in.

The Revonnahgander's pupils had narrowed to slits making him appear cat-like, and he was breathing was harsh.

"Rook?" Sandra asked getting to her feet. She remembered something Max had told her about Revonnahganders being very protective of their life-mates. "Rook, honey it's alr-" The woman stopped herself.

Things weren't alright and at the moment Sandra wasn't sure if things would ever be alright again.

When she didn't speak up Rook took off. Running out of the door before Sandra could even open her mouth to utter any more protests.

"Rook wait!" She ran after him but stopped at the door. Looking in the hallway Sandra spotted a nurse walking through the hallway. "Hey you!" She yelled at the younger woman. "Stay at this door and don't let anyone in." Sandra ordered before taking off after Rook.

She ran out of the hospital and would have continued on running had an arm not been held up in front of her. Out of breath Sandra slowly looked up to see who was blocking her way. "Rook?" She panted. He looked much more like himself now. Maybe running down all those stairs had calmed him down. It had suddenly taken all of _her_ energy. "Rook, what's-"

A flash was all the answer she needed. Sandra looked up and finally saw the sea of reporters, journalists and camera men taking up the whole parking lot.

Sandra's eyes narrowed, this was her chance to give those nasty vultures a piece of her mind. She was about to walk up to them when Rook pulled her back. "You must not give them what they want."

Oh Sandra had a different opinion on that and she would have told Rook that had she not heard a familiar voice call out her name.

"Sandra!"

"Carl!" Sandra cried out spotting Carl, Max, Gwen and Kevin struggle their way to the hospital having to fight a way past all the paparazzi.

Rook watched Kevin punch journalist in the face when the guy didn't quiet asking Gwen the same question.

By now Rook knew he should not utter the question out loud, but Rook seriously wondered how things could possibly get any worse.


	5. A Decision Made

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10.

Ch5: A Decision Made.

Gwen paced through the white hospital halls, her finger pressed against her communicator. "Of course you can come visit him, Lucy." She answered her distraught cousin's question.

The girl stopped in front of the door to Ben's private hospital room, just like she'd done the past 8 times. She couldn't go in. That still, bruised person on the bed couldn't be her loud, obnoxious cousin. That wasn't Ben.

Gwen sighed and continued pacing. "I'm so sorry you had to find out this way."

She was sorry that everyone in the whole universe had to find out this way.

The video of Ben being beat up had spread like wild-fire. It was constantly being played on at least on one or two channels on TV, it was already all over the internet and on the extranet.

_"It's not right!" _Lucy cried. _"I mean Ben had a hand in saving earth lots of times and they react by- they..." _The Lenopean trailed of, her voice going soft. She was all too familiar with how cruel the world could be. People lashed out, usually with words. Not this time though. _"I'll be on the nearest cruiser to earth. See ya soon."_

"Bye Lucy." Gwen sighed sadly, shutting the communicator off and continued on aimlessly walking through the hallway.

Gwen halted her pacing when the door to Ben's hospital room opened and Kevin walked out.

"Did he eat anything?" She asked already knowing the answer. Rook wasn't taking this well at all. Not that anyone blamed him. Gwen herself hadn't rested well either.

"Nothing." Kevin solemnly shook his head. "He says he'll eat when Ben's awake and well."

Rook hadn't had a proper meal all week. At this rate it looked like Rook would be joining Ben, in a hospital bed of his own soon.

"Can't say I blame the guy." Kevin continued. "I mean if it was you in Ben's place I don't know what I'd do." That was a lie. Kevin knew exactly what he would do. He'd go berserk and this time there would be no stopping him.

"It wasn't me." Gwen assured walking over to Kevin and letting him pull her into her arms.

But it could have so easily been them.

Their relationship wasn't exactly usual either. An anidote and an Osmosian... But they weren't famous. If they were would their relationship have received the same reaction as Ben and Rook's relationship?

Kevin sighed, tightening his grip on Gwen's shoulders protectively. "He'll wake up." He assured her, easily reading her expression. When had he become the optimistic one?

"I know..." Gwen agreed. Ben had beaten impossible odds before and he would do it again. But what would he wake up to? A planet that dropped their hero the moment he turns out to be different from what they wanted?

Gwen sighed sadly, resting her chin against Kevin's shoulder. Even if Harangue would take his words back and even if they found Ben's attackers -and they would be found, Gwen wouldn't and couldn't let them get away with what they did, and she knew at least 10 people who thought so too.

Even if they were all brought to justice... It wouldn't change a thing.

The world would still be filled with homophobic and xenophobic people who thought what happened to Ben was justice.

"It isn't fair."

"I know." Kevin agreed not happy about it either, but neither of the two knew what to do about it.

**-Ben-10-Omniverse-**

Sitting at his father's desk at Plumber HQ, Carl looked up when Max walked in. "Well?"

"They found the guy who sold Harangue the copy of security tape." Max answered sinking down in the chair opposite to Carl. "Henderson only joined the corps last month, but he won't find work again anytime soon."

Not that that really was a problem for the bastard.

From what Max understood Harangue had paid Deputy Henderson enough for that footage that Henderson could go on a long vacation before even starting to worry over the fact that he no longer had a job.

"Did you get to see the full tape?" Carl pressed on, well aware of how shaken up his father looked and knowing what it meant.

Now that nearly everyone had seen the clip of Ben being attacked, the police had no reason for keeping them from viewing the full tape.

Max nodded solemnly. "What Harangue showed in his program was only a small part of the whole video. The police has over an hour of footage of those men attacking Ben." His eyes narrowed when he looked at his son. "It's just like what we thought. Ben bought smoothies walked onto that parking lot and got attacked by four adult men."

"I..." Carl blinked a couple of times. How had things gotten like this? "I called our lawyer. We have a very good case."

Max expected as much. They'd probably always had enough material to sue Harangue, but had never gone so far as to actually sue the man yet for one simple reason. "The media is gonna love this."

"I know."

"Well you better decide soon, son." Max told Carl, his tone gentle. He already knew that this decision was already made anyway. The media had gone too far this time. "Ben's gonna wake up soon." _He better._

Carl chuckled miserably. "I love how confident you sound when you say that." Even the doctors were starting to worry. They'd even lowered Ben's doses of pain medication in the hopes of the teen waking up sooner.

And while Ben's loved ones hated the thought of Ben being in pain, they all needed to see Ben awake and well. Plus the doctors were worried that they might have missed something.

"You haven't seen him the way I did Carl." Max spoke up, a fond smile on his face. "I've seen your son do impossible things. He'll get through this."

He had to.

Carl nodded, "And then every reporter in the country is gonna beg him for an exclusive interview. They've practically surrounded the hospital with their camera men."

No.

They needed to put an end to this. "We're suing Harangue."

**-Ben-10-Omniverse-**

It had become some sort of habit. Every night Rook would wait for Ben's parents to fall asleep before curling up on Ben's hospital bed as close to Ben as he was able to without aggravating Ben's injuries. He'd be back in his chair before Sandra and Carl woke up.

He'd spent most the night quietly talking to Ben un till he would fall into a restless sleep for a few hours.

Which was exactly what he was doing this night, un till he felt a slight tug at his hand and jolted awake.

Rook blinked a couple of times. He could have sworn that he felt someone squeeze his hand, but the only person close enough to do so would be-

Eyes widening in shock, Rook shoved himself upwards. "Ben?" He whispered almost not daring to hope that Ben would finally wake up after being unconscious for over a week. He looked at his boyfriend and swallowed.

Ben's eyes were clenched shut and his fingers were twitching ever so lightly.

"...Ben? Can you hear me? Smarahd?"

The boy stirred and let out a soft groan and then- Slowly Ben's eyes slid open.

"Ugh... Wh-where.. ..Wha?"

Emerald green definitely was Rook's new favorite color.

"Ben?"

For his part Ben just stared blankly ahead, blinking owlishly at the blue blur in front of him. "...Rook?"

Rook was torn between laughing hysterically or sobbing. He settled for a short breathy laugh instead. "Yes Ben, I am here." His hands hovered above Ben, wanting to touch him but afraid hurting his boyfriend.

But that changed when Ben's eyes finally focused on him and the young hero smiled weakly. "Hey fuzzball..."

"Ben!" Rook couldn't stop the relieved laughter from spilling from his mouth, not caring when his yell awoke Ben's parents. He gently cupped Ben's face, his thumb gently brushing over Ben's bruised cheek. "You are awake..." He breathed almost not believing it himself.

Rook's whole body trembled with relief as he rested his forehead against Ben's. Savoring this moment.

"Dude..." Ben's voice was hoarse, but too Rook it was the most beautiful sound in the world. "...I'm okay." Ben tried to assure, reaching for Rook's hand and giving it a weak squeeze.

Rook gripped Ben's cold hand in his. "You are not." He whispered softly, his voice sad, but he could not get rid of the small relieved smile on his face. "Not yet at least."

Ben didn't even know how far from okay things were.

Despite it all Ben smiled weakly when his parents awoke and rushed to his side, not letting go of Rook's hand.

Rook did not mind, not at all. He sank down in the uncomfortable plastic chair and held on to Ben's hand, cherishing the feeling of Ben weakly returning his grip.


	6. Flipping Through Channels

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10.

Ch6: Flipping Through Channels.

"You big dumb doofus!" Gwen's words would have had more effect if she wasn't hugging Ben while saying them. "We were so worried!"

Ben smiled tiredly. "Good to see you too dweeb." He said returning the hug with his one good arm. Rook was holding onto his other arm from his sitting place on the hospital bed.

Ben knew Rook was doing it for more reasons than just preventing him from staining his broken wrist.

He honestly didn't see how he could disappear with his chest as heavily bandaged up as it was and with his leg in a cast, but if holding onto his arm made Rook feel better, then Ben wasn't going to complain about it.

"Earth culture..." Rook muttered, half a smile on his face. "I will never understand it."

Ben rolled his eyes. "You and your siblings banter." He paused, a thoughtful look on his face. "Well, Rook Shar and Young One do."

While they talked, Kevin stood at the door near Max and Ben's parents. "He doesn't know yet, does he?" The osmosian guessed.

"He only woke up last night Kevin," Max quietly reminded the boy. The old man looked every one of his years and a bit more. "We don't want him stressing about this."

Kevin wished them good luck with that. The video was everywhere plus every news network in existence that wasn't constantly bringing up the upcoming trial: Tennyson v. Harangue.

Snorting Kevin walked over to the hospital bed. "Hey, Tennyson." He said pulling Ben into a surprisingly gentle noogie. "You had me worried for a second."

"You? Worried Kevin?" Ben laughed half-heartedly trying get Kevin to let him go. "As if!"

"Hey I'm not made of stone, you know."

That's how Kevin found himself being stared at by Ben, Rook and Gwen.

"...Well not most of the time."

The rest of the visiting hours went on like that. Ben talking to Rook, Gwen and Kevin, trying to ignore the worried expressions on his parents and grandpa Max' faces. He tried to pretend he didn't notice that no one had asked him 'what happened'. And when they decided to watch tv Ben only complained when it became _too_ obvious that Kevin was skipping every news channel.

But Ben knew something was up.

Something big must have happened while he was unconscious. Some alien had attacked or something and the media was making a big deal about it. The media which was obviously still going on about his relationship with Rook.

Whatever it was, Ben decided he'd find figure it out soon.

Rook couldn't hold onto his arm forever right.

**Ben-10-Omniverse.**

_It was cold and Ben couldn't see anything past the suffocating darkness. He tried to call out, but no sound came out of his mouth._

_"You're disgusting!"_

_That voice... No!_

_Please not again!_

_"Nothing but a freak of nature who can only get other freaks to love him!"_

_No, it wasn't true..._

_STOP IT!_

_But Ben had no voice in this place... He could do nothing, but listen and accept the cruel words. _

_"Fucking pathetic man! Thinking you're too good for humans!"_

_He didn't think that! Ben didn't! H-he'd fallen in love with Rook, he hadn't meant to insult anyone!_

_"We'll give ya what ya deserve! Smack some normality in ya! You useless piece of-"_

"Stop!" Ben jerked awake, emerald colored eyes snapping open and his breath coming out in desperate gasps that made his ribs hurt and caused him to let out a small whimper.

Besides him Rook stirred.

Not wanting his boyfriend to wake up, Ben reached over and rubbed underneath Rook's chin. The Revonnahgander let out a quiet sigh and relaxed again.

Ben smiled watching the calm expression on Rook's face... He should stay that way for a little while longer. Ben was sure Rook hadn't rested well in days. Heck, the dude had visible bags under his eyes, and the guy had fur! You weren't supposed to see those.

Once he was sure Rook was asleep Ben settled back down and stared at the ceiling. It was night already. He remembered his family leaving when visiting hours ended. And grandpa Max and Rook speaking to a nurse... Something about safety. Ben didn't care, whatever it had been it had gotten the doctors to agree and let Rook spend the night at hospital.

It was surprisingly quiet in the hospital giving Ben plenty of time to think about what happened.

Except that he _couldn't_.

Because no matter how much he thought about he couldn't grap the fact that he'd been attacked just because-

Rook's communicator buzzed, interrupting his thoughts. Sighing Ben forced himself into a sitting position and grabbed the beeping device and pressed a button to answer it.

Whoever it was didn't even wait for Ben to say hello.

"Blonko, I just a saw video on the extranet of Ben being attacked! Is he alright?" Young One's voice sounded high-pitched and panicked.

Ben froze. He had to have heard that wrong.

Right?

"Young One?" His voice didn't sound as steady as he would have liked. "W-what are you talking ab-"

"Ben!" The young Revonnahgander cheered. "You are alright! I thought the worst after seeing that video! When is the trial date? Did they find those four men? Are you and my brother really dating? And-" Young One stopped his tsunami of questions when he didn't hear anything on the other end of the line. "Ben?"

Ben had dropped the communicator on his lap and was frantically searching the TV remote. Once he had he hurriedly turned the TV on and started going through the channels. Soon enough he found a re-run of this week's 'Harangue Nation'.

-"_Yes I admit that Tennyson has helped out our planet once or twice, but to call him our hero is an insult to true heroes like Billy Billions and Captain Nemesis. Don't believe me?" Will leaned over his desk to get closer to the camera. "Well you will after watching this footage that was send to me this morning._"- And the black and white footage started playing...

Ben's eyes stayed locked on that small black-and-white version of himself. Curled up on the ground and being kicked and punched at...

"Fight back!" He yelled the version of himself on TV, his eyes filling up. "Don't le- Don't let them-" His breath got caught in his throat and he found it hard to swallow.

His yelling was enough to wake Rook up who blinked when he saw Ben sitting up. "Ben," he said sitting up himself. "you should not be-" he stopped talking when he saw what Ben was watching.

Eyes widening Rook tried to take the remote from Ben's hands, but could not get it out of Ben's vice like grip. Not knowing what to do Rook put hands over Ben's own cold ones. "Ben?"

Ben's whole body was trembling, his hands were cold and he kept on staring ahead, looking at Rook, but not really seeing him at all.

"Ben!" Rook pressed when Ben kept on starting through him. "Ben can you hear me?"

The teen blinked once, that faraway look in his eyes not really fading.

Rook did not like that look one bit. "Ben! It is alright!" He insisted, his grip around Ben's hands tightening. "They cannot hurt you here!"

Ben only heard a muffled version of Rook's words, his mind too occupied to process them. It was too stuck on one fact.

_Everyone saw..._

Everyone, from Billy Billions to Vilgax.

From Cooper to Young One.

From Esther to Princess Looma...

Everyone.

Letting out a gasp-like sob Ben fell forward against Rook's chest, letting out a shuddering sigh when Rook protectively wrapped his arms around him. "Everyone saw, Rook..."

How was he supposed to continue being a hero if everyone saw him be beaten up on video?

Heck, after what happened, how could he call himself a hero?

Was Harangue right about him after all?

Rook had his arms around Ben, gently rocking him back and forth while muttering reassuring promises and apologies to him, but Ben could only hear Will Harangue's words echoing through his head.

-"_This boy is supposed to keep Earth safe, but can't even defend himself against his own kind._

_If this is our last defense against alien scum, then I'm not feeling very safe. What you, people of Earth?"-_


	7. Hero

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10.

Ch7: Hero.

"Sorry we're late." Sandra said as she and her husband walked into Ben's hospital room, thirty minutes after visiting hours began. She had to force cheeriness in her tone, but Sandra was sure that no one besides her husband would notice.

The moment Carl closed the door behind them he felt the heavy atmosphere in the room. He looked at everyone taking in their displeased looks. "Alright," he said feeling as if he was missing something. "what's going on?"

"Oh, lots of stuff." Ben muttered, glaring downwards. "For example someone decided to egg our house. Which is probably why you guys are late, huh?"

Sandra stared at her son, green eyes wide. "Ben, honey how-"

Ben pointed at the small television screen before Sandra could finish her question. The blond woman looked at the TV, eyes widening when she recognized her house on the screen.

"They're still there?" Carl grunted, staring at the tv. He assumed the reporters would leave after he and Sandra left the house. That's when he realized something and quickly turned away from the tv. "Why are you watching the news?!"

"He knows, Carl." Max solemnly informed his son and daughter-in-law.

Feeling her heart drop to her stomach, Sandra sank down on the hospital bed. "We didn't keep all this from you to hurt you, Ben-" She moved to touch Ben's face, but Ben flinched away from her.

That small movement had everyone's heart sinking and if possible the atmosphere in the room tensed up even more.

Ben refused to acknowledge it though. He looked up, a defiant look on his face, crossed his arms as best as he could without moving his wrist too much or aggravating his broken ribs(though his chest felt pretty numb at the moment) and glared ahead. "I want you to drop the charges."

"Absolutely not!"

"How can you ask that?!"

"He has been requesting for that ever since he found out about the lawsuit last night." Rook pointed out. The poor Revonnahgander looked and sounded exhausted, both fiscally and emotionally.

Kevin grunted, his eyes on the TV, so he didn't have to look at Ben. "Can't believe you want to let Harangue get away with this."

"I don't _want_ to let him get away with it!" Ben argued, he waved his good arm in the direction of the television. "But look what it's causing!"

Sandra put a hand on her chest and forced herself to take a deep breath. It hurt to see her boy like this. "Ben honey," she stopped herself from reaching out to Ben again, not sure how he would react. "I know you're probably feeling very overwhelmed right now, but this-

_-Is Ben Tennyson's lowest publicity stunt yet? That has to be the answer. Why else would someone like him be unable to def-_

No one heard the end of the reporter's sentence, because right then a mana-disk went through the small television.

"Gwen..." Ben sighed.

It took a few seconds before Gwen's shoulders slumped and she turned around to look at Ben. "You can't let them get to you like that Ben." She quietly told her cousin. "The media-"

How could they expect him to _not_ let all this 'get to him'? It wasn't- Ben couldn't take it anymore. "BECAUSE OF THE MEDIA DOESN'T LIKE THE FACT THAT I'M IN _LOVE _WITH ROOK, PEOPLE ARE ATTACKING MY HOUSE AND CREATING A WHOLE PROBLEM THAT I DIDN'T FUCKING ASK FOR!" He snapped, effectively silencing his cousin and everyone else in the room.

His outburst left him exhausted and feeling slightly light-headed, he'd only awoken from being unconscious for 8 days, a day ago...

All of them looked up when the heard the soft sound of the door clicking shut.

"Uh... Hi, guys." Lucy smiled and waved at them. "Sorry I'm late." The blond smiled before quickly making her way to the bed and wrapping her arms around her cousin and hugging him tightly. "Ben! You're awake!"

Ben blinked in surprise. "Cousin Lucy?" He murmured, wrapping his good arm around her. His shock at the appearance of his cousin and the sudden hug managed to chase his anger away for the moment. "When did you get on Earth?"

"Oh my gosh!" Gwen gasped, covering her mouth with both her hands. "I totally forgot to call you about Ben waking up, didn't I?"

"No kidding." Lucy smiled and stuck her tongue out at Gwen, not letting go of Ben just yet.

"It's so good to see you!" Lucy cheered when she finally pulled away from Ben and sat down on the side of the bed. "Especially after..." She trailed off, a shiver running down her spine. She still remembered that moment when one of her red-shirt rookies nervously called her over to look at the video he found on the extranet.

Ben looked down. "You saw..." Of course she'd seen the footage. Everyone had seen the footage.

"Yeah." Lucy nodded solemnly. "And I also heard you shouting, just now."

"Sorry, about that." Ben murmured, not meeting her eyes as he forced a small smile. "Welcome to Earth, Luce."

Lucy let out a small laugh at that. "That's not the worst welcome I've ever had."

The fake smile on Ben's face slipped away and he remembered something. "Hey, Lucy? Why do you let people call you Sludge Puppy?"

Lucy's purple eyes widened and she sat up. "When did you-" Frowning she looked at the others. "Can you guys..." She made a shooing motion with her hand and a small smile on her face.

"Uh... sure." Gwen shrugged and grabbed onto Kevin's arm. Kevin who was looking at Lucy with a small frown on his face.

Max followed after them, looking somewhat confused. Sandra and Carl went along too. "We'll.. we'll be in the cafeteria." Sandra told her son before leaving along with her husband.

Rook was the last one to get up and he lingered in the doorway, a thoughtful look on his face.

"It's alright Rook." Ben tried to assure his boyfriend, feeling bad for making the guy worry so much. He still hated what happened, but he knew he was making it difficult for Rook.

Rook nodded and finally his posture relaxed somewhat, and the Revonnahgander smiled a small, happy smile. "I love you too, Ben."

With that said the alien turned around and followed the others outside.

Ben stared at the now closed door, his eyes wide. "Dude..." The teen groaned recalling what he said during his angry rant. That so wasn't how he wanted to tell Rook about the way he felt.

"Not the best way to tell someone you love them." Lucy shrugged. "But a whole lot less awkward than I expected from you."

"Thanks." Ben snorted, "I'll work on that." Despite his sarcastic words the teen was smiling, and for the first time since seeing the footage and finding out about the lawsuit, it was a real smile.

"So," Lucy started, becoming serious again. "When did you find out that Sludge Puppy is an offensive term?"

"The lenopan who plays me in The Ben 10 show, told me." Ben answered.

"The 'Ben 10 show'?" Lucy repeated, raising an eyebrow.

"Don't ask."

Oh Lucy planned on asking. Now just wasn't the right time. "It's really not that long of a story." She started her explanation. "During the feud between the plumbers and Lenopans..." The blonde girl shrugged lamely. "None of the plumbers bothered to ask for the true name of our species, so they renamed us... After what we looked like."

"Wow," Ben grimaced. What was it like for those Lenopans at the time? The plumbers striped a species of its' true name and be labeled something just because of the way they looked. "that's like so rude and... Unfair."

"It happened long before I was born," Lucy shrugged half-heartedly. "most people don't even know that the term Sludge Puppy is offensive."

The Lenopan jumped to her feet, a bright grin on her face. "They'll learn their terminology when I'll be the first ever Lenopan Magister." Lucy winked playfully. "That's not all I worked my butt of for at Plumber training, but it's a nice bonus."

"But you don't correct grandpa Max when he calls you that though." Ben pointed out, hoping he wasn't asking too much. Although this wasn't his fist conversation involving racism, it was the first one he had with family.

Lucy's smile softened as she sat back down again. "Max doesn't say it to offend me so I'm not offended. It's hard to break a habit and as long as he doesn't mean it the wrong way, then I don't have a problem with it." Her eyes narrowed. "It's the people who do mean it, that are the problem."

Ben sighed, "Yeah..." he dropped his gaze again.

"It only takes a few people to ruin something good."

The way she said it sounded so unlike Lucy that Ben had to look at his cousin in surprise.

"The little rat-guy's words, not mine." Lucy shrugged. "But he has a point."

Ben blinked in surprise. "You met Argit?"

"Yup," Lucy let out a small laugh. "I met him at HQ today, asking how you were doing."

"Oh." Ben didn't know how he felt about that. It was nice to know that someone like Argit apparently cared about him, but Ben still had a hard time accepting that _everyone_ had seen him get beaten up.

"Want to talk about it?"

Ben shrugged, staring at his knees that were covered by a thin blanket. "You saw the video and every news channel is talking about the lawsuit. What's there to talk about?"

"That four random guys thought they had the right to hurt you because they don't agree with you," Lucy held up one finger. "that Will Harangue is finally gonna get in trouble for spreading out lies," She held up another finger. "And that you're the face for interspecies relationships."

"I didn't ask for the lawsu-" Ben paused, a frown forming on his face. "Wait what?"

"Did you know that there only a handful of planets that approve of interspecies' relationships, let alone marriages." Lucy informed Ben, meeting her cousin's eyes. "To young aliens falling in-love with someone from a different species, you're a bigger hero than before."

Somehow that did make Ben feel better, knowing that him being with Rook gave others hope. And yet...

"I don't feel like much of a hero right now." Ben whispered. If he could he would have brought his knees close to his chest, but the cast on his left leg made that a little difficult.

He looked at the broken TV, Harangue's words echoing through his head. "I should have fought back... I shouldn't have let-"

"You didn't let yourself be beat up!"

"I could have taken them!" Ben shouted, tearing his eyes away from the broken television. "I should have used to Omnitrix to-" Ben swallowed past the lump in his throat. "If I fought back or escaped..."

Lucy's shoulders slumped and she looked at her cousin sadly. "It's because they were human."

"Huh?"

"It hurts, because those are the people you fight for." Lucy quietly told Ben. In a way they betrayed Ben.

"They're civilians..." Ben sighed. "Stuff just went so fast." He shook his head, which still hurt, whether it was from the beating or from his emotional state, he didn't know. It probably didn't matter. "They're civilians but also bad guys... I wish I thought of it like that, at the time."

Not saying anything, Lucy got up and walked over to where she dropped her white purse on the ground. Grabbing it she went back to the Ben and sat down on the end of the bed.

Lucy pulled a black sharpie from her purse and started doodling on the cast around Ben's leg.

"There," She said moving out of the way and admiring her artwork. "looks about right to me."

Ben looked at what she'd done and gasped. There on his white cast was he word hero was written in a similar style to the logo on all 'Ben 10' merchandise. Somehow seeing the word like that again...

"Looks perfect to me."

Ben and Lucy turned in the direction of the door where they saw Gwen standing, her cheeks flushed and an apologetic look on her face.

Lucy blinked, not sure what to make of her cousin's expression. "Gwen? Are you alright?"

"Kevin told us where the term Sludge Puppy, came from." Gwen stammered, sounding unusually nervous as she walked up to Lucy. "I'm so sorry if I ever called you that, Lucy." Gwen said looking at Lucy. "Can you forgive me?"

For a moment Lucy just stared at Gwen. Then her eyes narrowed and she crossed her arms. "Of course not, Gwen! How can you even ask that?!" Lucy snapped, looking away.

Gwen winced, she kinda deserved that. After Kevin told them that the term Sludge Puppy is an offensive slur they'd all fallen quiet. Grandpa Max felt terrible, but Gwen had insisted that she'd be the first to go to Lucy and apologize. "I understa-"

"Syke!" Lucy blurted out, cutting Gwen off.

Laughing cheerily, Lucy jumped of the bed and hopped over to Gwen and pulled her stunned cousin into a hug. "Of course I forgive you Gwen!"

It took a Gwen a few seconds to realize what Lucy said and when she did, the red-head sighed in relief and returned Lucy's embrace.

Sound coming from the person on the hospital bed had the girls pulling apart and wiping their heads around to look at Ben.

Ben had thrown his head back and was clutching at his sides as he laughed loudly. "Oh man, Lucy, you got her good!" Laughing made his ribs hurt, but Ben didn't stop, because it just felt so..._good_, to just laugh like that. "Gwen you should have seen the look on your face when you thought she-" Ben stopped laughing when he caught sight of the looks on his cousins faces.

While the wide grin on Lucy's face was to be expected, the one Gwen's face was far from usual.

"What?"

"Syke!" Both girls cried and threw themselves at their cousin, hugging him tightly, but still careful not to aggravate his injuries.

"It's good to hear you laugh again, doofus." Gwen murmured, closing her eyes. "That's all."

Ben hugged them back as good as good he could manage. Sometimes he needed to be reminded of his own words '_Leave the beat down for the bad guys_'. Bad guys like grown man who beat others up for no real reason and newsman who misused their power to spread lies...

"Thanks dweeb." Ben whispered back, closing his eyes and taking a deep breath. Maybe it was time that he went '_hero_' on people like that too...


	8. The Start of a long overdue talk

Disclaimer: I don't own Ben 10.

Ch8: The Start of a long overdue talk.

Shortly after Ben convinced Gwen and Lucy to go have lunch with the others a nurse pushing a cart with food trays on it entered the private hospital room. She had a short black hair and a pleasant smile on her face. "Feeling good enough that you might be able to keep your lunch down, Mr. Tennyson?"

"Um..." Ben looked at the tray, his eyes on the dry toast, apple sauce and small cup of pudding. He hadn't kept anything down since seeing himself get beat up on TV and finding out about the upcoming trial. "Leave it here... I'll give it a shot."

The nurse smiled and placed the tray on the nightstand. "I'll be back in a few hours." She informed him before leaving the room and making sure to close the door behind her.

Ben watched her go and then looked back at the plate with the toast on the tray. Sighing he reached for it and put the plate on his lap. Instead of eating it the teenager stared at his food, knowing he should _try_ to eat it, but not having the appetite for it.

Shaking his head, Ben placed the plate besides him and reached for the black marker Lucy left for him while she and Gwen went to have lunch and started doodling on his casts. He started drawing the first thing that came to mind after than he moved onto drawing a cartoonish version of Feedback, and after that he started on his next alien.

"You are still not eating."

Ben tensed up for a few seconds before relaxing when he realized who had walked into his hospital room. "I was going to."

"You were?" Rook asked sitting down besides Ben. "Can you prove it?"

Rook's challenging tone got Ben to stop doodling and turn to his boyfriend with an annoyed look. "Dude... Stop it." He groaned, fully aware what Rook was trying to do.

"Stop what?" Rook asked, amusement clear in his tone. "It was just a question Smarahd."

Ben narrowed his eyes and held Rook's gaze for a minute before letting out a loud huff, grabbing one of the three pieces of toast from his place and angrily taking a large bite of it. He chewed slowly, rolling his eyes when Rook grinned happily.

"Happy now?"

"I am working towards it." Rook answered, smiling. His smile grew when Ben huffed and went back to drawing on his cast. "A Megawatt?" He guessed, his eyes on the half-finished drawing. "It looks very life-like."

Ben looked up in surprise. "Thanks..." He smiled at his boyfriend, before going to finish the small drawing of the alien. When he finished, Ben put the marker down and leant back against his propped up pillows. "I'll eat more later, whe-" Ben stopped talking when he noticed Rook was staring at his cast. "What?"

He followed Rook's gaze to the first thing he drew, 'Ben Rook' "Oh..." Ben cringed in embarrassment. "I'm not really subtle today."

Sighing, Rook settled down besides Ben and pulled the smaller boy close. "You never are subtle, my Smarahd." He told his boyfriend hit tone dry as he rubbed Ben's arm, displeased with how cold his boyfriend still felt.

"Guess, not." Ben shrugged hating how tired he already was. "I mean it though, and when I was yelling earlier... I meant it. It wasn't the best way of telling you, but..." He shifted so he could look into his boyfriend's eyes. "I love you."

For a moment Rook stared into Ben's eyes and without his consent, he started purring softly. "I love you too, Ben." The Revonnahgander whispered, brushing his thumb over Ben's bruised cheek. "I love you so, so much. When I believed I could lose you-" His shoulders slumped in grief. "I did not know what to do, and-" Rook stopped talking when Ben gently squeezed his hand.

"I'm awake now, Rook." Ben reminded his boyfriend. "You don't have to worry anymore."

"Do I?" Rook asked raising an eyebrow.

"What?"

"Do I not need to worry anymore?" Rook clarified looking at Ben. "If you and I had not gotten together then you would not have been targeted by those men."

That startled Ben into a more awake state. Sitting up a bit more, Ben looked at Rook hoping he'd say more, his heart sank when Rook remained quiet, his gaze on bed. "You blame yourself for what happened to me." Ben stated only now realizing how rough these past days must have been on his boyfriend. "Oh Fuzzball..." Ben sighed, tiredly shaking his head. "This is so messed up."

"Ben?"

Ben shook his head again. "How can this be your fault?"

Rook frowned. "I just told you, if it weren't for me then those individuals would not have believed they had a reason to attack you. "

"And I could have fought harder." Ben stated crossing his arms, wincing when the movement aggravated his ribs. "Heck, this whole thing might as well be my own fault."

At those words Rook inhaled sharply, a soft hiss escaped him and his pupils narrowed to slits for a few a seconds. "Do not dare to say such a thing!"

"Then why did you?" Ben asked, glaring at his boyfriend. "Me getting hurt isn't your fault," The teen sighed, his shoulders slumping. "And I guess it's not mine either…"

"It is not." Rook agreed, wrapping his arm around Ben again and pulled him close, both to comfort Ben and assure himself that Ben was alright. "Those men…"

"Deserve someone going hero on them." Ben told Rook. "Preferably Way Big style."

Rook chuckled, but his gaze traveled back to the tray on the nightstand. "Ben-?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Hand me that applesauce."

Smiling Rook gave Ben the cup with applesauce and the plastic spoon.

They said in comfortable silence for a while, just enjoying each other's company. The peace was broken by the door opening and Ben's parents walking into the room.

Sandra's shoulders sagged in relief when she saw the way Ben was sitting. Leaning against Rook, eating again and for once he didn't look tense. In fact, Ben almost looked relaxed. Seeing her son like that made it feel like an invisible weight was lifted from her shoulder and gave Sandra hope for the upcoming trial.

There was no doubt in her mind that they would win the law suit against Harangue, it was everything around it that had the mother worried. Because even after they'd won and after Ben's attackers were brought to justice, the harassment wouldn't stop.

"Well aren't you two comfortable." Carl grinned when Ben turned beet red at his comment.

"Daaaad!"

"Relax, we came with something for you." Carl chuckled as he reached into his back pocket and pulled out an envelope which then gave to Ben.

Sitting up Ben handed the cup of applesauce and took the envelope, looking it over curiously. His eyes landed of the post stamp, he easily recognized the green empress on it.

"Yeah you're mom and I didn't recognize the post stamp on it," Carl commented when he saw Ben looking as the post stamp. "so we asked your grandpa if he recognized it, and he said that you'd probably like to read it."

Now curious, Ben opened the envelope and held it upside down. A postcard showing of empress Attea standing proudly in front of a good view of her palace. Snorting Ben turned the card to read what frog had written.

-_Sorry to hear that some of the apes on your planet are ungrateful bastards. Hope they didn't beat the fun out of you. –Attea._

When he finished reading Ben chuckled and handed it to Rook so his boyfriend could read it too. "When you told me that the clip was available everywhere you really did mean everywhere." To be honest, Ben wasn't sure how he felt about the letter, or the fact that someone he fought before had seen him get beaten up. But at the same time… Knowing that Attea apparently cared about his wellbeing even after she'd seen him like that was… It was nice.

"How did Attea gain your address?" Rook wondered grabbing the envelope and looking it over.

"Eh," Ben shrugged. "Looma probably told her where I live, no idea how she knew that though." Ben said as he put his cup on the nightstand again. "I've had enough now."

"Really?" The small group turned to the door to see Kevin, Gwen, Max and Lucy walking into room. "Then what do we do with all these extra smoothies?"

Ben's eyes widened when he saw the smoothies in Gwen and Kevin's hands. "I love you guys!"

Max chuckled watching Ben's face light up when he took the smoothie from Gwen and immediately started drinking his favorite beverage. "The police is finally doing something about the media circus outside."

"How about the people messing with the house?" Ben asked quickly going back to slurping his drink.

Max sighed. "We'll figure something out kiddo."

Ben lowered his gaze, suddenly finding the white bedding interesting. His thirst forgotten for the moment. "You'd think they'd at least wait till I'm back home before they start attacking the house."

"Ben-" Sandra sighed, she was worried about that too. Not for the same reason as Ben though. She wanted the house to be a safe haven for when Ben returned, but thanks to the attacks on her home Sandra was tempted to ask her father in law if she and her family could stay at Plumber HQ un till all this died down. Of course she didn't want to tell Ben that just yet. "Try not to think of it so much honey. Focus on getting better first."

Ben didn't react to her words and no one expected him too.

Rook felt a pang in his chest. It pained him to see his usual confident, cheerful boyfriend like this. Looking at the faces of the others in the room confirmed that he wasn't alone in feeling like that.

And honestly, after watching people attack the Tennyson's house, on the news earlier, Rook didn't want Ben to go back there when he was still healing. But if he didn't then where would he…. "May I make a suggestion?"

Carl blinked but nodded. "Sure Rook, what is it?"

"I did some research on… hate crimes." Rook explained, grimacing. "It is not uncommon for people who have been attacked in similar ways to Ben, to leave the country or go on vacation so they can prepare themselves for the upcoming trial and properly relax." Rook looked at Ben who had a small frown on his face. "I have already contacted my parents, and they would be glad to have you all stay in our home as we await the trial date."

Sandra happily clasped her hands together, but somehow Ben beat her to reacting.

"You want us to go to Revonnah?!"


End file.
